After giving prospect Luis Robert a 6 year/$50 million contract extension in early January, and Aaron Bummer an extension in late-February, many speculated that Yoan Moncada could be next, after posting a 4.6 WAR season in 2019. The best in his young career. This was first reported as being in the works on February 24th by @JamesFox917, who was also first on the Robert deal. ESPN MLB Insider Jeff Passan went in detail about the terms, after Ken Rosenthal initially broke the news today.
The extension guarantees that Moncada will be with the White Sox until at least 2025, with an option in 2026. Over the 5 years, Moncada is guaranteed an AAV of $13 million per year, with a club option for the 6th year, at $25 million. If the reported terms are true, this looks to be a great deal for the White Sox, as they get the hot-corner locked down, as well as for Moncada, as he gets financial security for the next 5 seasons and gets to avoid arbitration. This deal on average will make Moncada the 12th highest-paid 3B in the MLB.
In 2019, Moncada took the step towards becoming the player many fans thought he would be after a disappointing second-half in 2017 and all of 2018. After being moved around in the lineup, playing poorly at second base, and leading the Major League’s in strikeouts in 2018, Moncada appears to be the superstar that Rick Hahn believed he got in 2016. After making the switch to third base and consistently hitting second in the batting order, Moncada slashed .315/.367/.548, had an OPS of .915, 141 wRC+, and 25 HR. Moncada was tied for 15th best fWAR among all players, and was #6 among all 3B.
The White Sox are known for offering players extensions early into their careers, giving them financial flexibility in the future. Past players include Chris Sale, Jose Quintana, and Adam Eaton, and now Eloy Jimenez, Tim Anderson, Luis Robert, Aaron Bummer, and Yoan Moncada. This allows the team and players to avoid arbitration hearings, and allows the player to focus on their play. This was a key with Sale, Quintana, and Eaton, as the White Sox got a better return for these players partially due to their affordability.
The White Sox now have the core of their franchise locked down, and now it is time to start winning. Being able to get all of these players under contract gives the team an opportunity to have a base, and know how they fair financially for the next 6-7 years. By doing this with their core, they are able to go into the upcoming offseasons, and still be able to make moves, now that they know what the players will receive, without any uncertainty in salaries due to arbitration.
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